Dinner For One
by Tess 4 5
Summary: After a young colleague saw a hilarious picture of Tommy on her desk and wondered about it, Barbara remembers a nice Metropolitan Police charity event.
1. Chapter 1

**All usual disclaimers apply, no infringement of any copy right is intended.**

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**A/N:** Most of this story (meaning the play) is not mine. It is written by Lauri Wylie. In Germany everybody knows this play. The screening of it is shown here every New Year's Eve, usually the black and white version with the English actors May Warden as Miss Sophie and Freddy Frinton as the butler. The most popular version is the one from the year 1963, first shown on NYE in 1972, in English, because what happens there is easy to understand, even if you were deaf. A few other versions in regional German dialects also exist.

In some ways this story is a story of the Framed Memories series as well, because there was a picture that inspired me to write this one (around the borrowed play).

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**Summary:** After a young colleague saw a hilarious picture of Tommy on her desk and wondered about it, Barbara remembers a nice Metropolitan Police charity event. Enjoy...

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**Dinner for One**

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* * *

"Constable?" DI Lynley peeped out of the separated office. DC Dobey looked up from his screen with a deeply red face. "A word in my office, please?!"

When the poor rookie came in, Barbara still was talking at the phone. She looked up, mouthed a "one moment" and gestured Dobey to sit down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Yes, Sir... No, Sir, we still don't have... Mhm..." She rolled her eyes. "Mhm, of course..."

Listening to this side of the conversation Dobey let his eyes wander across the chaotically stuffed desk. There was almost everything on it. Everything, a keyboard, about one thousand manila folders, half a dozen pencils, a monitor and a pile of old books with a picture in a frame on it. The pile looked as if it originally was placed there deliberately and it probably once looked nice on an empty desk. Now it almost looked as if it was pushed to the edge because all the other stuff needed its space.

PC Dobey looked closer. Well, he knew that DI Lynley and Super Intendend Lynley were no siblings, so he did not wonder about his picture being here. But what it showed did not really match the sophisticated appearance, SI Lynley usually displayed.

Tommy Lynley in what looked like a butler's outfit was cuddling a huge marble column in what looked like a theatre and he was laughing freely and very happily.

Suddenly Dobey recognised that the phone call had ended. With a blushing face he looked up at his boss but Lynley did not even look at him. Her dreamy eyes watched the man on the picture and her mind seemed to be very far away.

"Ma'am?"

"Huh?" Barbara looked up. "Ah, sweet memories. Sorry." She winked and went back to business. There was a case to be solved.

Only when she was alone again, her thoughts wandered back to that certain day three years ago in that elegant theatre.

* * *

It was December, 31st. In a few moments they would perform a short play at a charity event from the Metropolitan Police. It was simple, more a comical interlude, but it was funny. DC Winston Nkata would be the conférencier, DI Tommy Lynley played the butler James, and DS Barbara Havers was the Lady, Miss Sophie. The final rehearsal had failed completely because she had been so nervous and even forgot half of her cues. Only two days earlier, DC Jemma Wylie, active member of an amateur dramatic society and their stage director, had decided that they should change the last scene. Barbara was worried about it constantly.

On that day Winston, cheeky as he was, had suggested that they should kiss in the final scene and it had earned him a lot of laughter from all the others except from Tommy and Barbara.

She had shot him a deathly glare. Tommy had shaken his head and raised an eyebrow. "You know they are both about 90 years old." he had said. "They don't kiss. They're no couple. She's the Lady," he pointed at Barbara who frowned at his words describing their reversed social positions in that play, "and I'm the butler."

"But it's clear that he's going to _please_ her at the end." Winston had objected. Around the word "please" he had made quotation marks into the air with two fingers of both hands.

"Yes." Lynley had nodded and kept an angry face. "But the funny thing is, that it isn't shown on stage. Some things simply are left to the audience's own imagination."

Unfortunately DC Wylie had found similar joy in it and so they would have a cute scene at the end where they should be caught by surprised when the curtain would open. Their stage director had agreed that they only should nudge their noses as if they were about to kiss before the interruption and Tommy should draw the curtain close again. Barbara had not been happy with this at all but she was glad that she would not have to play a kiss with Tommy.

She would not be able to hide what she really was feeling for him.

* * *

Nonetheless she dreaded the last scene. Now that the hall was full, everyone was seated again after an interval in the adjoining foyer. The previous show had been the choir, with a rather erudite show. With their own little folly they would get the laughs very easily, she thought behind the curtains while she climbed the hidden ladder to her waiting point.

She had met with her boss for the last time when he had brought her to the women's dressing room earlier. He had given her a gentle good luck peck on her cheek. After that Barbara had been too nervous to mingle with the audience, the sponsors and all the upper class people on that New Year's Eve party, so she had stayed in the dressing room almost the entire time. Only briefly she had sneaked out to have a calming pint of beer at the bar.

On that occasion she had seen Tommy walking among his lot. He already had been in the clothes he would wear on stage but despite his butler's uniform nobody had taken him for one, because too many people knew him. He had been talking animatedly with many people, luring them to the coming play and always showing where the donation stalls were.

He had looked highly excited.

* * *

Now, DC Winston Nkata entered the stage, in evening frock, with gloves and silky scarf and, what Barbara could see from her lookout, his rather long grown dreadlocks tied together with a black velvet hair bow.

Barbara looked down the stairs and heard Winnies voice speaking to the audience about the coming play. Her boss in his butler outfit, and with the movements of a quirky old man, already bustled about on the stage that showed a large dining salon with a table set for five people. On the left side of it there was a serving bar, and on the right a stair case led up to her hidden spot behind a curtain. Between the table and the serving bar was a tiger rug, complete with head, but it was of course a plush rug. Tommy as the butler was setting a table with five plates under the cold eyes of several old portraits, correcting the cutlery, pushing a chair closer to the table, and rearranging the flowers, while Winnie introduced the little scenery to the audience.

"...her 90th birthday today. On New Year's Eve, like every year, although they already have passed away long ago, she's invited her four good friends: Sir Toby, Admiral von Schneider, Mr Pommeroy, and her very dear friend, Mr Winterbottom. Her poor butler James, grown old with her, slips into the role of her guests who, as you understand, can't be here personally for certain reasons."

A light laughter was heard from the audience and Barbara breathed deeply. Her entrance would come soon and she was horribly nervous. Closing her eyes, she shut out everything else for a while and did not hear Winnies last words. She waited for her signal.

Tommy stroke the gong that announced that dinner was ready. Barbara opened her eyes.

"Ah!" Winnie said and turned to leave the stage backwards. "Dinner's ready. And here she comes: our lovely, and, you'll find it hard to keep that in mind, 90-year-old Miss Sophie."

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**...**


	2. Chapter 2

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**I dedicate this chapter to Freddy Frinton and May Warden who both shall rest in peace.**

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Barbara gathered her long skirt and tried to walk down the few steps as gracefully as possible. She kept her eyes on the handrail while she took one step after the other. Down on the stage, Tommy kept standing tall, and very good looking as always, she thought, with his dark hair tamed and parted with a rule, and his eyes fixed onto the audience. Only when she was halfway down, and after a discreet hooting from the audience that had made her frown, he turned his head towards his Sergeant.

He visibly froze.

Her surprise worked. Although Winnie had said that she looked quite sexy in it, she had not opted for the simple black suit she had on for the rehearsals and had originally planned to wear tonight. Now she was in a tightly fitting silver satin dress, with long arms with ruffled hems at its sleeves and a similarly ruffled collar, high-necked of course, to fit an old Lady at least a bit. Her shoes were in the same colour and rather high heeled, so she had her difficulties walking down the staircase. Her hair was pinned up in a tight bun, held together with a pearly string, but with a few errand locks playfully framing her face.

Unashamed or oblivious to his reaction, Tommy gaped at her and his eyes widened. There was a certain expression she never had seen, but she would describe it as desireful. He stared at her while she took the last steps with an uncertain frown and held out his hand to let him help her. For a few seconds he did not react at all. Then the blood rushed into his face, he swallowed, and finally took her hand to lead her to her chair at the head of the table.

"Good evening, Miss... Sophie." he croaked. He had to clear his throat before he went on with his text. "Good evening."

Barbara gave him a bright smile. She had known that she would surprise him, but she had not imagined that she would put him off his stride completely.

* * *

"Good evening, James." she answered, giving him a bright and slightly triumphant smile.

"You're looking very well this evening," Tommy said and every word sounded so honest that she feared he would call her by her own name. Fortunately he did not. "Miss Sophie."

She sat down elegantly and let him help her with the chair. "Well, I'm feeling very much better, thank you, James."

"Good, good..." Tommy mumbled and waited while Barbara let her eyes wander across the white cloth on the table, with silver plates and cups and cutlery.

"Well, I must say that everything looks nice." she said approvingly.

Tommy bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Miss Sophie, thank you."

Barbara looked up at him and saw that he still struggled with his composure. His ears still were red. "Is everybody here?" she asked with a sweet voice, but deep inside she wondered if she really had such a power over her boss.

"Indeed, they are, yeah. Yes..." Tommy muttered more to himself, nodding. Then he raised his voice. "They're all here for your anniversary, Miss Sophie."

"All five places are laid out?"

"All laid out as usual." Tommy nodded again, gesturing across the table.

* * *

"Sir Toby?" Barbara asked.

Tommy went to the empty chair to her left. "Sir Toby, yes... he's sitting here this year, Miss Sophie."

"Admiral von Schneider?"

Tommy took a step to the left and patted onto the backrest of the next chair. "Admiral von Schneider is sitting here, Miss Sophie."

Barbara nodded. "Mr Pommeroy?"

With his arm held behind his back, somehow as if he wanted to balance out the weight of his body that obviously was stuck in a slightly bowing postion over the years, Tommy limped around the other head of the table towards the next empty chair. "Mr Pommeroy I've put round here for you."

"And my very dear friend, Mr Winterbottom?" Barbara cocked her head, playing to have wonderful memories of her very dear friend.

Her butler made another bow after he reached the chair to Miss Sophie's right side. "On your right, as you requested, Miss Sophie!" He spoke with a wonderful pronounciation, rolling the R like the old actors used to do and the Scots still practise.

Barbara loved it.

* * *

"Thank you, James." she said and let her eyes wander once more across the table. Tommy took on his place to the left side of her seating place, slightly behind her, where a butler usually waits for more orders. "You may now serve the soup."

"The soup." Tommy bowed and while walking towards the serving bar he muttered "Thank you very much, Miss Sophie, thank you. They're all waiting for you." Before he reached the serving bar he stumbled over the tiger head and turned briefly to glare at it in anger.

Some chuckles were heard from their audience.

With a bowl of soup he returned to Miss Sophie. "Little drop of mulligatawny soup, Miss Sophie?"

"I'm particularly fond of mulligatawny soup, James." Barbara stared at the table cloth and wiped away something invisible while Tommy was coming towards her to serve some simple broth.

"Yes, I know you are." The fond smile he gave her was real and driven by the memory of a very cold day in December when they had had to freeze in the cold at a very nasty crime scene for much too long. Afterwards Tommy had invited her to his house and he had made a pot of mulligatawny soup that had warmed their bones and stomachs. It had turned into a wonderful evening with both sitting on the floor in front of the fire place, dwelling in memories, debating politics and eventually talking about some very personal things. Their play already on his mind, Tommy had served her some glasses of a very fine sherry and later Barbara had stayed in Tommy's guest room.

* * *

"I think we'll have sherry with the soup." Barbara's smile was as sweet as honey and as real as his. Tommy knew she was thinking about the same wonderful evening.

He hesitated for a moment. "Sherry with the soup, yes..." He turned to leave, then turned back to Barbara. "Oh, by the way, the same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?"

"Same procedure as _every_ year, James." Barbara confirmed and began to eat her soup very slowly. Tommy walked over to the serving bar, stumbled over the tiger head and glared at it again.

A few more chuckles were heard.

He picked a bottle, held it a bit away from his eyes to read the label and since it obviously was the right choice he nodded satisfied. Then he returned to Miss Sophie.

"Is that a dry sherry, James?"

Her cup was filled with a bit of coloured water. Barbara was not particularly fond of the sweet liquid they used as a substitute so she really pitied her boss, who had to drink a lot more of it. Really a _lot_ more...

"Yes, a very dry sherry, Miss Sophie... very dry." He poured a bit into the cup to her right. "Straight out of the cellar, this morning, Miss Sophie."

Tommy gave a dash into Sir Toby's cup to her left and made two steps to serve the next invisible guest but returned as if the first one had ordered a bit more. He topped it up, then continued with the others. In his silly walk, the most graceful walk the old butler was able to perform, Tommy rounded the table behind Miss Sophie and walked over to the serving bar.

He tripped on the tiger rug head.

A loud chuckle went through their audience while he shook his head in disbelief going over to the chair where the invisible Sir Toby was seated. Barbara raised her glass and both made a toasting gesture.

* * *

"Sir Toby!" Barbara said.

Tommy took on a rough jovial voice and answered "Cheerio, Miss Sophie!" He had a drink for Sir Toby and went over behind the next chair.

Barbara raised her cup towards him. "Admiral von Schneider!"

"Ad..." Tommy cut himself short, cocked his head and whinged "Must I say it this year, Miss Sophie?"

Barbara nodded slowly. "Just to please me, James."

"Just to please you. Very good, yes, yes..." Tommy made a noise that sounded like a suppressed groan of annoyance. He stood straight like a soldier and clicked his heels together when he said "Skol!"

It obviously was painful because his knees buckled and he reacted in pain before he sipped at the cup and went over to the next chair on the other side of the table.

"Mr Pommeroy!" Barbara said.

Tommy's voice was in falsetto when he said "Happy New Year, Sophie!" He emptied the entire glass for the invisible guest.

Barbara's face lit up with a bright smile. "And dear Mr Winterbottom!"

Now Tommy slightly leant towards Miss Sophie and with a deep seductive voice answered her toast. "Well, here we are again, old lovely..." Afterwards he went around behind Miss Sophie's chair and waited for a second.

* * *

"You may now serve the fish." she said.

"Fish. Very good, Miss Sophie." He took her plate. "Did you enjoy the soup?"

Barbara nodded and watched his back while he walked towards the serving bar. "Delicious, James."

"Thank you, Miss Sophie, glad you enjoyed it."

He stumbled over the tiger's head. The audience laughed harder.

With a bow Tommy served the fish a few moments later. "Little bit of North Sea haddock, Miss Sophie."

* * *

"I think we'll have white wine with the fish."

The butler raised his eyebrows. Barbara had to suppress a grin. Yesterday they had had lunch together and since she had been starving it was not her usual simple sandwich but a portion of fish'n'chips. She had refused to have one of the piccolo bottles of cheap white wine Tommy had brought to their table with a mischievous grin and every single wrinkle of joy visible around his eyes. He had teased her throughout the entire lunch and she had very joyful and very sizzling memories of his hand brushing hers all the time.

"White wine with the fish?" Tommy bowed again and asked his usual question. "The same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?"

She smiled sweetly when his wrinkles of joy appeared again. "The same procedure as _every_ year, James!"

Tommy deeply breathed then nodded defeated. "Yea!"

For a while she picked some of the cold white meat from her plate. It only looked like a fish but it was just chicken arranged in a fish's shape and it was cold.

Tommy was muttering under his breath while he walked towards the serving bar. An expectant murmur went through the crowd. Of course he stumbled over the tiger head and glared at it again, much to their audience's amusement.

After laboriously choosing the right bottle, he walked around the table again and filled each cup. First Miss Sophie's, then Sir Toby's. Although he already had filled the cup generously, Tommy had another imaginary, silent conversation with him, and then poured him some more wine as if it had been requested.

Tommy even gestured a silent "Always at your service" to the ghost of the old friend. He earned more laughs for that. Having filled each cup he turned to walk to the serving bar to bring back the bottle.

Another expectant moan hummed but he failed to stumble over the tiger head this time. When Tommy turned around in surprise, laughter arose.

With big effort, Tommy closed the wine bottle and put it back into its rack. He turned. Then he stumbled over the tiger head.

A loud laughter was the spectators' answer.

* * *

The next toasting round followed. Barbara raised her cup. "Sir Toby!"

Tommy exclaimed "Cheerio, Sophie, me gal!" and emptied the first cup.

"Admiral von Schneider!"

"Oh, must I, Miss Sophie?" Tommy whined.

"James, please!"

The butler groaned before he raised his cup into the air. "Skol!"

Again he reacted in pain, when he clicked his heels together. While he emptied the Admiral's cup he rubbed one of his feet across his wade as if he could ease the pain. He limped around the table to the next seat, taking a slightly longer curve than necessary. Somehow the alcohol seemed to have made him dizzy, so he could not take the shorter way.

"Mr Pommeroy!"

"Happy New Year, Sophie gal!" Tommy emptied the cup and suppressed a burp. Then he stupidly grinned and walked on to the next empty chair.

Barbara gave him another sweet smile. "Mr Winterbottom!"

Propping himself onto the table with one arm, Tommy grabbed the cup and looked deep into Barbara's eyes. She even blushed a bit before he toasted, and diverted her eyes to the table cloth.

"You look younger than ever, love!" he said. His voice was genuinely gentle. For a couple of seconds they held each other's gaze. The unruly lock of hair that withstood every attempt to be tamed, fell into his forehead in that moment. Barbara's heart skipped a beat and she was barely able to keep herself from pushing the lock back.

Her pupils dilated and he swallowed. Fortunately Tommy remembered to take on a slight slur again when he finally went on with his text. "By gum, you look younger than ever, luv, younger than ever!" He laughed jovially.

When he rounded the table behind Miss Sophie's chair he was slightly weaving about, and only by taking hold onto the high backrest of her chair he was able to return to her left side to take away her plate.

* * *

"You may now serve the chicken!"

Tommy made a funny face and nodded. "Ya..."

With the empty plate, and rather unsteady, Tommy walked to the serving bar. His walk was accompanied by chuckles from the audience that turned into laughter when he tripped over the tiger head. Wobbling, he brought a tray with a chicken to Miss Sophie.

"That looks a very fine bird!" she said.

Tommy bowed. "That's a lovely chu... chuk... chicken, that I'll tell you, a lovely..." He stopped mid-sentence for no reason and waited for his orders about the accompanying beverage.

* * *

Barbara wriggled her head. "I think we'll have champagne with the bird!"

"Champagne, ya..." He left his position but, almost as if he had forgotten to ask, the buler turned to Miss Sophie again. "Same... same prosheeed-ure as last yah, Miss Sophie?" he slurred.

Her Ladyship was not impressed. "The same procedure as _every_ year, James!"

Rather drunk, the butler moved to the serving bar, stumbled over the tiger head, grabbed the bottle of champagne and rounded the tiger head spaciously on his way back to the table, all in one fluent move, before he poured champagne for each person. He was wobbling and weaving even more than before.

The invisible Sir Toby requested his usual additional drop and Tommy silently did his duty as the loyal butler again. While he bowed down in their silent conversation he accidentally poured the champagne onto a small plate. With the puddle on it he topped up Sir Toby's cup.

The audience laughed loudly.

Rounding the table, the butler was not exactly careful with how much he spilled over by not hitting the cups. Poor James seemed to be very drunk by now. Much to the spectators' joy.

Bringing back the bottle, he used the fine liquid like a perfume and spread a few drops behind his ears. The audience, expecting him to stumble, already laughed, but this time he made a careful, overexaggerated and wide step over the tiger's head. When he lolloped back to his Lady, he was grinning proudly.

* * *

Still on his way he exclaimed his toast.

"Sophie, me gal..." A big gulp, and the cup was empty.

"Admiral von Schneider!"

"Oh, must I, Miss Sophie?" Tommy whimpered.

Barbara gave him a pleading glare. "James!"

He groaned.

"Shkol!" This time, when he tried to click his heels, he missed it and almost fell. Tommy turned around and let his jacket slip half off from his shoulder, showing an imaginary enemy that he was ready to fight and the attacker should just show up here. Shaking his head in disbelief he scuttled to the next seat.

"Mr Pommeroy!" Barbara toasted.

Tommy raised his empty hand as if he raised an invisible cup. "Happy New Year, Sophie, gazz..." Only when he wanted to drink he realised that his hand was empty.

The audience cheered loudly.

"Mr Winterbottom!"

Tommy leaned against the back of the chair and held himself upright by grabbing it.

He looked at Barbara and absolutely gibber-free tolde her "You're one of the nicest little women..."and she blushed again.

* * *

During their rehearsals he had never been so out of his role. His words, although the same, had never been said to her with such a seriousness. It made her nervous and the last bloody scene was still to come. Barbara stared onto the table again.

His second hiccup brought her back into the scene.

"One of the nicest little wo-MEN!" He shouted the last syllable. "That's evv... ever breathed." He paused. He stared. He breathed. Barbara waited with a raised cup, and when he saw it, he came closer with his face and scrutinised her with a mad face before he straightened his back and continued. "...that's ever breathed..."

Barbara hid a broad grin behind her serviette. She loved that part of his play.

Tommy gave a loud faked burping sound and it was hard for Barbara to hide the laughs that shook her.

"I now declare this bazaar opened! So forth..." Tommy rumbled.

When the butler hobbled behind her chair he had to grab its backrest again. Only this time he put so much weight into it that he almost tipped her over backwards. Barbara shrieked, although she knew what would come.

During their rehearsals she had had to practise the balancing very hard and a lot of times, at their final rehearsal for example, she had landed on the floor. This time, all went well, and her chair landed where it was supposed to stand.

The drunken butler pulled away her plate with the chicken and carried it to the bar. He stumbled over the tiger head and the audience cried out in laughter when the roast chicken suddenly flew up in the air and away. This was a trick Tommy had practised a lot. The bird had to disappear over the side wall of the decorations and it did so perfectly now.

A few claps were heard.

Tommy grabbed a tray with some fruits. "Would you like some fruit?"

With the plate he swooshed over to Miss Sophie in a very hilarious way, but zoomed past her and halfway up the stairs, before he stumbled back down to her place.

* * *

Barbara had patiently waited during Tommy's performance. "I think we'll have port with the fruit!" she said now.

"Oh, no!" the butler groaned and deeply breathed to get his tongue sorted. "Sa... mh... same procedder... sibesa... same procedure azzlazzle...?"

"Yes." Miss Sophie patiently explained. "The same procedure as _every_ year, James!"

He stumbled over the tiger head again and the audience rejoiced. At the serving bar Tommy got the bottle and returned shakily to the table, the bottle's label held close to his eyes all the way. He had a lot of difficulties pouring the port. With Sir Toby he had his usual silent conversation, zealously and looking very serious. All of a sudden he bent over to fill the cup with a movement of his entire upper body.

Barbara munched on a piece of banana so she would be able to keep her straight face, because Tommy sloshed the liquid everywhere but into the cup. Two steps further he slightly bent his knees. Jumping up he tossed the liquid out of the bottle and across the table but missed the right distance to the Admiral's cup.

Most of the false port was sloshed all over the table when he tried to fill all the cups, and finally Tommy took a swig straight out of the bottle before he ridiculously hopped over the tiger head with both feet instead of stumbling over it.

The audience cried out with laughter.

Tommy returned to the table, as wobbily as he could. He was not able to suppress his own real grin now, but it could easily be hidden by his obvious state of inebriation.

* * *

Barbara raised her cup. "Sir Toby!"

Instead of toasting, Tommy bawled out "Sugar in the morning..."

One person in the hall could be heard laughing very loudly. Even Barbara had to chuckle.

"Admiral von Schneider!"

"Sh...Shkol!" Clicking his heels, Tommy raised the cup in a hefty movement. This way he spilled the liquid up into the air. When it rained down on him he looked up in surprise where that bad weather might be coming from.

"Mr Pommeroy!"

He had made his wobbly show of walking around the table and so Tommy accidentally bowled over Mr Pommeroy's cup. The liquid streamed across the table.

Barbara had to close her eyes and count to ten. This had not been in their script so she was quite surprised. Tommy simply was hilarious.

"I'm sorry, Madam" Tommy muttered. "S-sorry."

Carefully he scooped the spilled port off the table cloth into his cup and drank it. The grin he shared with Barbara was a very real grin and so it was no wonder that her voice slightly pitched when she toasted towards her invisible dear friend.

"Mr Winterbottom!"

Looking at his Lady in awe, the butler grabbed the vase and found his nose inside a bouquet of flowers. Confused he stared at it, then removed the flowers, tossed them somewhere, and drank from the vase. "Huuhh, I'll kill that cat!" he exclaimed.

* * *

Dinner was over and James went to the serving bar, shooing _that cat_ away, which earned him more laughs. Barbara leaned back in her chair and inhaled. The last scene was only moments away.

"Well, James, it's been a wonderful party!" she said, and it was meant heartfelt.

"Well, it's been most ind... end-shoyabble." he foolishly grinned. Staggering, he waited for more orders from Miss Sophie.

"And I, I think I'll retire." Barbara moved as if she wanted to get up from her chair.

"You're goin' to bed?"

"Yes."

"Sit down, I'll give you a hand up, Madam."

She sat back and waited until her butler managed to walk over to her, help her up from her chair and escort her to the base of the stairs.

"As I was saying, I think I'll retire." she repeated.

Tommy nodded. "Ya... ya, ya. By the way, the same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?"

* * *

He put his right arm around Barbara's waist and held her left hand with his own left hand. This way very close to each other, they ascended the first steps of the stair. Although she felt goosepimples all over, Barbara dared to look up to Tommy's gentle face. There was a lot of fondness in his eyes.

"The same procedure as _every_ year James!" she told him.

"Well..." Tommy shrugged and winked conspiratorially towards their audience. "I'll do my very best!"

They disappeared behind the curtain and the last thing the laughing and already applauding audience saw, was Tommy's arm and hand with a thumbs-up gesture.

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**...**


	3. Chapter 3

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Quickly Tommy looped his arms around Barbara's waist. "We did it!" he rejoiced.

"_You_ did it!" she answered, glowing with happiness. "And it was great!"

In fact he had done most of the work, emptying every cup, making faces, wobbling around, playing the drunken butler. Her part was just the stooge, and she did almost nothing but eating cold food and dabbing her mouth with the serviette. Now there was just one thing left, but this time it was a part they both had to play.

And she still feared it.

Her eyes went wide when his arms pulled her close to his chest. One of his hands was in her back and the other actually was placed onto her bottom. She laid her arms and hands onto his chest and their faces were close. They had to be ready for their last scene. Barbara's heart sped up, their noses touched and she closed her eyes when the curtain upstairs was starting to shake.

She could not stand the loving look in his eyes and the warmth of his breath in her face anymore.

"Oh my..." he breathed and their lips met.

It caught her by surprise but without thinking about it, she mirrored the soft nudge he put into this kiss.

The applause turned louder and a few cheers were heard. Realising that the curtain up here had been opened and they were visible to the public, he let her go just a tad. Tommy grinned broadly and Barbara was smiling nervously. Her blush was real.

They bowed with their heads only, and Tommy closed the curtain again. He returned his attention to the woman in his arms. His smile was reassuring and gentle. Barbara's eyes flickered.

* * *

"Tommy..." she breathed. It sounded more longing than she wanted and softer than she ever had heard herself speaking. And there was a lot of anticipation in her voice. She wanted nothing else but to repeat what had just happened.

And so did Tommy.

When their lips met in another seething kiss they forgot about everything else until DC Wylie opened the stage side door and tapped onto their shoulders.

"Hey, you two!" It ripped them out of their bliss. Wylie was grinning juicily. "Congratulations!"

It was not really clear, if she meant the kiss or what they had performed on the stage, but the couple did not care for long.

"Sorry, we got carried away..." Tommy muttered. He held Barbara close and she hid her face on his chest.

"Get down there!" Wylie said, pushing them gently towards the stairs to the stage. "Quick, quick! That's _your_ appplause!"

* * *

Nkata had entered the stage again, holding up an arm in a gesture towards the two actors, announcing them when they started to walk down the stairs.

"Ladies and gentlemen - DI Thomas Lynley as James, the butler..."

Tommy squeezed Barbara's hand and pulled her downstairs behind him. Her lips looked slightly swollen from the wild kiss they had exchanged one moment ago, and her face was rosy.

"...and DS Barbara Havers as Miss Sophie! Doesn't she look younger than ever?"

Smiling and blushing they received their applause. Tommy took the microfone and gestured towards Winnie. "And DC Winston Nkata, Ladies and Gentlemen! Thank you. Thank you all."

All three bowed towards their audience several times.

Eventually Tommy had one last thing to say.

He grabbed one of the cups and turned back to the audience, winking. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as we did. And don't forget: too much alcohol can harm you, as you've seen here. Happy New Year everyone, and please donate generously!" He raised the cup and took a sip of the coloured water he had poured and drunk all the time. He made a face, said "Huah, I'll kill that cat!" and earned more laughter.

Then Tommy looped his arm around Barbara's waist and they exited to the side.

* * *

Ignoring everybody else he swept her close to his chest in the moment they were out of sight. They were not out of Winnie's sight though.

"Barbara, I love you!" Tommy gently told her, ignoring the Constable.

"Are you drunk?" Barbara asked frowning.

Nkata looked at them in confusion. He had not seen their earlier kiss on the top landing of the stage stairs, so now, Tommy's declaration caught him by surprise.

"Not at all." Tommy stated. "I'm as sober as I could be."

Then he kissed her again and Winston turned away in embarrassment. Nobody was able to separate them for quite a while.

Winston quickly went away from them and made sure that nobody would disturb the kissing couple in that hidden niche behind the stage. He had waited for far too long for a moment like this.

* * *

Later and after they had shared a glass of real champagne with Wylie and Nkata, Tommy had dragged her with him and Barbara could not avoid the mingling with the guests anymore. He held her hand the entire time and introduced her to a lot of people who looked at her curiously.

"That's Barbara Havers." he told them, then smiled down at her with pride and happiness. "My partner."

It was rather surreal, and Barbara felt quite crazy and as if she was acting in a wonderful dream, until Winston finally found them.

"Ah, here you are!" he exclaimed and was already pulling out his mobile phone. He giggled. "Happy New Year, you naughty little beggars! And show me another kiss! I need footage of what's happening here!"

He obviously had had a few glasses more.

"Oh, get lost, Winnie." Barbara muttered, but Tommy's crooked finger under her chin already turned her face towards his and she could not help but accept his lips on hers. Although she knew Winston's camera-eye on them she enjoyed a gently lasting kiss. When they parted she was blushing, but her face was beaming happily, as was Tommy's.

"Happy New Year, Barbara!" he whispered.

"Awww..." the Constable sighed. "You finally look so happy!"

"We are, Constable. We are. Aren't we?" Tommy said, looking at Barbara and his face brightened up even more when she nodded her approval.

"Yes, we are." she breathed.

They shared another loving kiss that demonstrated their happiness to everybody.

"I could hug all the world." Tommy exclaimed, and with that he spread his arms, walking towards Winston who quickly jumped out of the way.

"Not me, Sir!" he laughed. "Stick to Barbara!"

But instead of turning around to his partner, Tommy laughed out loud and hugged the next marble column that just stood in his way.

* * *

It was already late in the next morning when Barbara saw on her mobile phone that Winnie had taken a picture in that moment, and he had sent it to her a few hours after midnight. At that hour of the day she had been oblivious to everything but the man in her arms.

Rolling over she chuckled and showed it to him.

"I never will delete that." she whispered. "Happy New Year, Tommy!"

* * *

**.**

* * *

**.**

* * *

**Happy New Year, everyone!**


End file.
